Expat in a country that speaks the same language as you – Blessing or curse?

The netball game just finished. Olivia is in tears. Her team lost 10 to 0. Sandra, her mum, is fuming on the bench. ‘Why is the game so violent, the referee so biased, the girls from the … [Read more...]

Trailing Spouse: 12 Reasons You Weep And Laugh At The Same Time (And Why It Matters)

Moving abroad -- leaving everything behind -- feels like jumping into the void.  It’s both exhilarating and scary. You feel at the same time excited by the adventure and guilty for this … [Read more...]

How To Live With Uncertainty – Two Coping Strategies That Could Change Your Life

Living in uncertainty is not an expat privilege. Anyone may get a cold, be fired or lose a loved one tomorrow without notice. Life is unpredictable. But the expat existence, linked to high … [Read more...]

Three Good Reasons You Struggle With Living in Uncertainty

"We’ve now been living in this country for two years. My husband’s contract is officially finished in 6 months." Lisa is telling her story for the umpteenth time to Beth, a new mum whose son just … [Read more...]

This Widespread Disease Can Kill Your Expat Couple (Here’s What You Can Do About It)

You longed for this moment all day. And when you heard the car’s engine at the front door, your heart bounced. “Finally! He’s home!” Today was like so many other days. You hadn’t seen a soul. … [Read more...]

2014 – A Year in Expatland

End of last year, I took you on a journey: the story of an expat family through a compilation of all the articles published on the blog. The suspense was at its peak: we left this family in … [Read more...]

Difficult Expat Conversations – A Hidden Factor Makes You Lose Your Balance When Planning The Holidays (Part III)

There comes a time in every trailing spouse’s life when the thought of the holidays makes you want to... well… hide. Why? Because holidays mean even more work and … [Read more...]

Difficult Expat Conversations – The One Thing You Can’t Avoid To Create A Peaceful Holiday For Everyone (Part II)

Sally’s in a tricky situation.  For the last few weeks, her parents have been chasing and pressuring her: “When are you -- and the kids -- coming back for Christmas?” Sally is agonizing. She’s … [Read more...]

Expats: Loneliness Can Make You Sick (And What To Do About It)

Mary was perfectly healthy. Then she got nasal drops containing a cold virus and was locked up in quarantine for five days. Mary was one of the 276 healthy volunteers in “The Common Cold Study”. … [Read more...]

True Story: 4 Lessons To Prevent Burn-Out Or Depression In Your Expat Family

Ashley is the leading spouse -- (aka the expat employee) -- of an American family.  I met Ashley on LinkedIn a few months ago when she commented on “3 Myths About Self-Care That Make You Gamble … [Read more...]